The Bahrain Press Association calls on the government to probe the role and work mechanisms of the Anti-Cybercrime Directorate
The Bahrain Press Association (BPA) condemns the increasing systematic restrictions on freedom of opinion, expression and peaceful assembly in Bahrain over the past five years, as restrictions are noticeably escalating by the Anti-Cybercrime Directorate of the Ministry of Interior.
Over the past years, a series of laws have been enacted curtailing freedom of opinion, expression, and assembly, such as the ban on protests in the Bahraini capital, Manama, and the law regarding the protection of society from terrorist acts. Moreover, the Ministry of Interior announced that it will prosecute individuals who follow “accounts that incite” or who repost content from those accounts, which it has labeled as “inciting,” on their accounts on X (Twitter). Additionally, the Al-Wasat newspaper was closed in 2017, and opposition political associations such as Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society (2016), the National Democratic Action Society “Waad” (2017), and the Islamic Action Society “Amal” (2012) were dissolved. The Political Isolation Law was also enacted in 2018—a significant blow to civil liberties.
The Bahrain Press Association observes the systematic violations of freedom of opinion and expression, and asserts that they have taken a subtle form and a deliberate approach that avoids provoking or inciting foreign media and international organizations. Unlike previous violations that used to occur outside the law, violations are now cloaked in a legal cover. State agencies tend to use threats, blackmail, and psychological pressure during interrogation sessions instead of lengthy imprisonment as was the case in the past.
The General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security was established in November 2011 by a royal decree that listed several security departments under its umbrella, with the aim of safeguarding the foundations of the national economy and striving to reduce cybercrimes. The Directorate is responsible for combating all cybercrimes, including e-mail theft and hacking, abuse, defamation, slander, and extortion using electronic means, as well as tracking and detecting these crimes. However, the Directorate has taken a different turn from the role assigned to it by the decree, becoming a tool for intimidation and direct restriction of press freedom, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and mobility. It has also become a censor of whatever published on social media.
In a comparison of the situation before and after the establishment of this Directorate, the actions of the security forces were characterized by a blatant contradiction with both local and international laws. They violently suppressed protest demonstrations, resulting in numerous injuries, while judicial institutions imprisoned participants for periods ranging from six months to five years. These events received media coverage and condemnation from both local and international human rights organizations. Over the past five years, it has become evident that there has been a drastic change in the handling of protests. This change is not based on the idea of ensuring civil and political rights or freedom of opinion and expression, but rather on the continued confiscation of these rights without provoking the media and human rights organizations.
The Anti-Cybercrime Directorate actively pursues anyone who criticizes the government or its policies on social media, summoning them immediately after they post their comments for interrogation. The interrogation process is usually punctuated by both direct and implied threats. It is also insinuated that there are several ready-made cases at the public prosecutor’s office, or that a complaint has been lodged by a specific minister against these activists. The processing of these cases—or otherwise closing them—is contingent upon the removal of the posted content and a commitment not to direct any future criticisms towards concerned authorities.
Sometimes, activists are forced to pledge not to write about public affairs or political and human rights issues. Through this strategy, the number of active voices on social media is quietly reduced. Activists and participants in protests are subject to a number of threats, including fabricated charges, job losses, or travel bans.
Over the past months, a number of activists, social media influencers, clerics, and photographers were summoned because of their posts about the events in Gaza and Lebanon, and some of them reported being subjected to threats of imprisonment and being transferred to the Public Prosecution if they refused to remove their posts. According to testimonies, interrogations revolved around the intentions behind what was written and attempting to interpret these posts in light if the penal and anti-terrorism laws. Authorities deliberately release interrogated individuals who agree to delete tweets and content, while detaining those who refuse to do so. Some are also banned from traveling, which affect their jobs and businesses. Therefore, travel bans have become a form of soft punishment for those with critical views of the government.
The restrictive procedures are not limited to social media activists and influencers; they also involve the heads of several community councils, known as “diwaniyas,” in various provinces. Some council leaders have been contacted and summoned to sign commitments to withdraw joint statements regarding local and regional issues. Authorities have requested some organizations to change the titles of certain events, such as the Al-Urobah (Pan-Arabism) Club and the National Assembly Association. Additionally, the authorities have canceled national, human rights, economic, and political events, and have erased all related content from social media platforms. The aim of the security oversight on content is to ensure that everything posted on social media aligns with government vision, direction, and policies.
The Bahrain Journalists Association urges the Bahraini government to conduct a governmental investigation into the nature and procedures of the Cybercrime Directorate to ensure its compliance with the provisions of the constitution and the law. It also calls on the authorities involved in criminal investigations to adhere to legal standards, cease the abuse of power, and stop threatening citizens and activists while infringing upon their political and civil rights. Furthermore, the association calls on the government to take more urgent measures, foremost of which is the release of all individuals convicted in cases related to freedom of opinion and expression, as well as the restoration of citizenship for all journalists and political activists who have had their citizenship revoked.
The Bahrain Press Association has been monitoring freedom of opinion and expression and press freedoms in Bahrain since 2011, monitoring the behavior of members of the executive, legislative, and judicial authorities and the extent to which they protect these rights guaranteed by the constitution and their compliance with relevant international treaties. This year, the BPA launched an awareness and informational campaign that outlines the legal provisions that restrict freedom of opinion, expression, and press and media freedoms in Bahrain. Additionally, it released its annual report for this year titled “Bahrain 2023: A Persecuted History and a Deadlocked Horizon.”